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"Words in double quotes" - Talking

'Words in single quotes' - Thoughts

Next chapters are private. No mature content though. 😊😊

Chapter 5 - The Truth

#Next Morning#

Ragini sat frozen where she sat. She felt numb. She didn't know how long she sat there crying, but now, all she could feel was emptiness. She didn't have any tears to shed, neither she have any emotion to feel. It was as if she was dead from inside. All her life, she searched for Lak..... and when she did get him, she lost him again. She wanted to tell Laksh the truth...but what is the use? Laksh would only tell her that he doesn't love her anymore, that she was too late. She would just have to bear the harsh truth again, and this time Laksh would tell her those words by looking at her. Could she bear that?

Ragini thought about Swara. She knows that she is Rag, and she will no doubt tell Laksh about it sooner or later. This meant that Laksh would come and confront her. She didn't want to face Laksh. She also knew that Swara would tell Laksh how she had been waiting for him her whole life.

'What if...what if Swara tells him how much I love him? Will he like me again? Maybe I should let Swara tell him' Ragini shook her head 'No! How could I think like that! I cannot do that to Laksh. If Laksh knows about it, he might feel guilty. He might feel that he has betrayed me and may not forgive himself forever. He might also not confess his feelings to the one he has chosen. I can't be selfish! I can't steal his happiness. I truly love Laksh and I want him to be happy, even if it means that I have to let him go.'

Ragini stood up and wiped her tears. She had a determined look in her eyes. She knew she had to leave. She can ask Swara not to tell Laksh. But she knows how much Swara cares for others. If Swara sees how much pain she is in, she might go and tell Laksh everything. The only way left for her was to disappear again. If she leaves, Swara won't have to see her pain. She'll make some excuse and leave. Laksh can be happy with his love. She ......'I must leave!'

She started packing her things as quickly as possible. Suddenly, she remembered something. Sanskar knows her house.... which means Swara knows too. Swara would find out and ask her for the truth. 'I need to make up some excuse so that they never find out.'

She took a pen and paper and started writing.

'Mr. Sanskar, Swara, I got a call from home. A family has come to ask for my hand in marriage. My parents want me to marry the boy, and he has also been my childhood friend. I think I will be happy with him and I do not want to go against my parents' wishes. Also, my future in-laws do not know that I was working as a nurse, so please do not visit my home or call me, as I do not want them finding out. I will treasure my time with your family, but this is where we must severe ties- Nikita.'

Ragini re-read the paper and put it on the bed. She grabbed her bag and went out silently out of the house. She looked back once, and took a handkerchief out of her bag. It was the one she had kept from her childhood.

'I will live with this as your memory. Goodbye Lak. Love you always. Live a happy life Laksh. I let you free'

With that, she left the Maheshwaris.......forever.

#Laksh's Room#

Laksh finally decided that he was going to confess to Nikita. He.... he didn't know what she would reply, but he couldn't keep it bottled up within himself anymore!

He reached Ragini's room and found it wide open. 'She isn't here. Maybe in the kitchen.' He stopped suddenly as something popped into his mind 'I, Laksh Maheshwari, most popular guy among the girls, will be proposing in the kitchen? Unbelievable!' Laksh smiled in amusement.

Swara was on her way to Ragini's room when she saw Laksh standing near the door, smiling. Swara was waiting in her room for Laksh and Ragini and come tell her the good news. But she couldn't wait any longer and came out to see for herself. Seeing Laksh smiling, she thought that Ragini had finally confessed.

"Oho-ho. Congrats dewarji"

Laksh looked at her confused 'Congrats? But what for..... I guess bhai might have told her that I finally found the right girl.'

"Thanks"

"But when do I get my prize?"

"You prize? Why would you get a prize. I'm the one who should get the prize." said Sanskar, as he came near them.

"You? You did nothing! I'm the one who told Ragini to confess" Swara said proudly

The boys were confused. The same thought was on their minds 'Who is Ragini?'

"I don't know what you are talking or who you are talking about, but I gave Lucky the push he needed to confess to Nikita"

"Why are you still calling Ragini as Nikita?" asked Swara confused.

"Wha-what do you mean Swara bhabi?"

Swara couldn't understand? He should know by now that Ragini was her real name. 'Maybe he got confused. I should explain it to him'

"Arre.... Lucky, Ragini is her real name, not Nikita. I think you got confused and thought Nikita was the true name. Silly you"

Laksh and Sanskar looked at each other wide eyed, and turned to Swara.

"Swara.... what are you saying? We didn't even know that her name was Ragini"

Swara froze on the spot "But..... but Ragini must have told you her name when she told you that she was Rag, right?"

Laksh felt like he was hit by lightning. The world seemed to stop for him. He leaned on the wall for support. Looking at him Swara knew that Ragini still had not told him the truth. She had done a terrible mistake.

"Lucky! Lucky are you okay?" asked Swara, worried. "I...I thought Ragini had told you about her because you were smiling, and you even said thanks when I congratulated you."

Sanskar came near Laksh and held him.

"I thought bhai told you about --" Laksh couldn't continue and looked a t Sanskar.

"Swara, Laksh had finally realized that he likes Nikita, but didn't know if he should let Rag go. I finally convinced him to let go of his past and accept his present, which is Nikita. That is why he came here to confess his love for her. I thought they confessed, that's why I told him to thank me. He even threw away the music box"

Swara gasped "But...but...."

"Swara. Tell us all you know"

Swara explained everything to them. Suddenly she remembered that Ragini hadn't come to her room yet "Where is Ragini Lucky? Lucky!? Lucky!"

"I-I.....She might be in the kitchen" Lucky spoke, barely holding on to his wits. He was still in shock. His brain was finding everything hard to process.

"No. I just came from the kitchen. There was no one there." Sanskar said.

They looked inside Ragini's room. Only then did they notice that there was nothing of hers left in the room.

Swara noticed a paper on the bed. She read it out loud.

"No! No, no, no! How could I lose her again!" screamed Laksh in anguish.

"Lucky! Please don't lose hope. I know where she lives. We can-"

"No bhai, we can't go."

"Why!? We must go and get your girl. Come on" Swara tried to pull him towards the door.

"No bhabi, its too late. She's getting married." Laksh said moving back "I....Its too late. I lost her...I lost her AGAIN!"

"But Lucky, will you give up so easily? Without even trying?"

In the background, the telephone rang. But none of them paid any attention to it, to caught up in their own matters. It stopped ringing after a while.

"Didn't you see the letter bhai? She's getting married and....and she won't break off the marriage because of her parents. I didn't know of her being Rag, but she did know about me. She....she didn't think of telling me and went away. She doesn't want me!"

"No! She told me she had been waiting for her Lak! There is no way she would just leave like that."

"If she loved me, why did she leave like that bhabi!? Answer me that."

The telephone rang again, but they ignored it.

Swara looked down 'But why Ragini? Why would you do this to Lucky? Was it all a lie? Was your love just a lie?'

Suddenly, the telephone rang again. This time, Sanskar went to pick it up in anger.

"Hello! Please stop calling as w-"

(Hello! Ra-Nikita! Is Nikita there?! Please give her the phone. I'm her father calling. I can't reach her on her mobile. Is she okay?)

'H-her father? But didn't she leave for home? Maybe she hasn't reached home yet' "Ragini has left for home as you asked. She will be there soon"

(I asked? We never called her home!)

"Wh-what are you saying?! Why would she tell us she left for home on your wish if you didn't call her?"

(I....I'm coming to the Maheshwari Mansion. We'll talk then.)

"Wait! Listen. Hello? Hello?" Sanskar put the phone and rushed to Swara and Laksh. "Ragini didn't go home and her father wasn't the one who called her home. She's missing."

Laksh and Swara gasped.

"Her father will be here soon. I think...there is more to it then we know. He's hiding something"

"What shall we do?"

"We wait"

"But we need to find Nik-Ragini." said Laksh

"Where Laksh? We don't know a thing about her besides the fact that she is a nurse. How will we know where she might go when her own father can't find her? We can only wait for her father to arrive."

Laksh wanted to argue, but he knew his brother was right. Swara put a hand on his shoulder for support "We'll find her Laksh. Don't worry."

#1 hour Later#

A man walked through the front door of the Maheshwari Mansion. The three Maheshwaris looked up towards him. He was followed by the police.

"Mr. Bedi?" asked Sanskar

"Yes, it is me. Now tell me, when did Ragini leave?"

"About three hours ago"

"She should have reached home by now. Her phone is also switched off. Manish, this means Purab got to her before us" he looked at the police officer in distress.

"I understand Shekhar. Don't worry. I have already contacted the Delhi officers. We will find her soon."

"What's going on? And why is the police involved? You said the Delhi officers. Are you not from here? And who is Purab!?" Laksh's mind was racing with thoughts, but most importantly, he was worried about Ragini.

"Manish, you go search for Ragini. I'll come after explaining everything to them." Manish nodded and left with the rest of the constables.

"You might want to sit down."

With that he started explaining everything to them...about Purab, about him kidnapping Ragini, trying to shoot her, them moving to Delhi, ...everything. By the time he was done, Swara was weeping, worried about Ragini. Sanskar was trying to console her. And Laksh....he seemed emotionless. But Sanskar knew that look on his brother's face. It meant that Laksh was ready for the hunt. He would hunt down Purab, wherever he was, and make him pay for even thinking of hurting Ragini.

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To be continued...

Next chapters are private. No mature content though. 😊😊

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~ 🌹 Mona 🌹